The present invention is relates to pet staircases. More specifically, the invention relates to a reversible pet spiral staircase, specifically adaptable to allow household pets to traverse vertical elevations. Embodiments of the invention allow the apparatus to be self-supporting; reversible; space-saving; compactable for storage; safe for pet elevation; easily assembled; reconfigurable; and environmentally safe.
Pet owners often consider their pets as family members. It may be desirable for pets to elevate onto household furniture or even onto a bed. The trend in the bedding industry involves raising the altitude of its products, to satisfy customer preferences for thicker mattresses. As mattresses get thicker, the vertical distance between the floor and the top of the mattress increases. Pets struggle to reach these increased heights. Conventional straight pet steps or pet ramps have attempted to solve the problem of increased elevation. See for example: U.S. Pat. No. 7,621,236; and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2004/0079297, 2004/0244724, 2007/0089690, 2007/0289556, and 2008/0302312. However, these references suffer from a number of disadvantages, including: the requirement of a large amount of floor space to traverse the vertical distance; the lack of an ability to reconfigure the vertical distance; the lack of removable inserts; the lack of the ability to be vertically reconfigured; and the lack of special adaptability.
Staircases traversing around a central or fixed point, often allow some space to be saved in escalating the stairway. Several types of such staircase exist, such as winding staircases and spiral staircases. Winding staircase revolve in a helical fashion around a central point. However, the interior edge of each step is offset a distance from the central radius. Attempts have been made to provide winding staircases for traversing vertical elevations. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,347,774, and 5,309,687. However, these designs suffer from a number of disadvantages, including: the lack of ability to be self-supporting; the requirement of a large amount of floor space to traverse the vertical distance; the lack of an ability to reconfigure the vertical distance; the lack of removable inserts; the lack of special adaptability; permanent attachment to a fixed structure; and the lack of ability of ease of assembly and storage. Spiral staircases also revolve in a helical fashion around a central point. The interior edge of each step is not offset from the central point. Therefore, spiral staircases can be more space efficient, and could prevent a tripping hazard.
As the furniture and bed height are often not uniform, it is desirable for the staircase to be easily reconfigured to adapt to various vertical elevations. It may also be desirable for the central support element of a spiral staircase to be vertically adaptable. Due to space limitations, the shape of the spiral need may be different. It may also be desirable for the direction of the spiral to be changed. Further, it is desirable for a staircase to be self-supporting and not rely on a fixed structure for support.
Pet safety presents another concern. A gap or space between steps could present a problem to a small animal. The animal may get one of its legs caught in the space between the steps. Additionally, a pet could be confused with an open spiral staircase, and not traverse the spiral. Accordingly, it may be desirable to enclose the outer circumference of the staircase and space between steps.
Pet steps and ramps are often made of hard plastic, pressed cover board, fabric, and carpet covered surfaces. This construction does not satisfy pet owners' needs for safety and aesthetics. Fabric and carpet are difficult to remove, and are often the host of fleas and bacteria, which accumulate over time. Additionally, the overall look may clash with the décor of the home. Therefore, it may desirable for a staircase to provide a clean and easily maintainable surface, and present an aesthetically pleasing design.
Pet spiral staircases are desirable in areas and situations with limited space or where other objects in a room present a logistical challenge. Some examples may include: small bedrooms, studio apartments; areas where other furniture are present; and door openings. Attempts have been made to provide a spiral staircase capable of space saving. See for example: U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,774,582, 3,513,547, 5,515,657, 6,523,310, 7,377,080. However, each of these references suffer from a number of disadvantages, including: the lack of ability to be self-supporting; the requirement of a large amount of floor space to traverse the vertical distance; the lack of an ability to reconfigure the vertical distance; the lack of removable inserts; the lack of special adaptability; permanent attachment to a fixed structure; the lack of ability of ease of assembly and storage; the lack of special adaptability of individual components; and inclusion of designs incorporating open railings and stair members. Therefore, there exists a need for a device that is self-supporting; reversible; space-saving; compactable for storage; safe for pet elevation; easily assembled; reconfigurable; and environmentally safe in assisting pets to traverse vertical elevations.